Essay Gateway India

It is the pride of India. This giant structure, the Gateway of India, has appeared in numerous Hindi films. People take photographs, standing before it.

Why is it called so? It is through this facade to the city that the Royal Family and the British rulers had stepped inside India from Mumbai (then known as Bombay Port).

Standing like a stalwart at the height of about 80 feet, it was the British who had started building it in the year 1911. Designed and constructed by George Wittetto commemorate the visit of the King George V who was accompanied by Queen, Mary.

However, with Sir George Sydenham Clarke, the governor at that time laying the foundation stone, the work commenced and went on non­stop until it was officially declared open on Dec. 4,1924 by the Earl of Reading, the then Viceroy.

It outlooks the Arabian Sea on one side and the Taj Mahal hotel on the other.

By going around this structure in a boat, it would remind what those great olden days boasted about. It is on the waterfront in Apollo Bunder which offers an added feast to the eyes. For this purpose, there are horse-drawn chariot like coaches to delight the tourists.

But the sad part of it was that, twice, it was targeted by the terrorists. Nevertheless, its fame and charm did not wither. It houses a flock of pigeons from the beginning.

Throughout the year, tourists pour in there besides Bollywood actors for cinema shooting.

History shows that it was generously sponsor! by a Jewish business baron. Despite being 100 years old, the Gateway of India still remains India’s one of the places of tourist interest and the intricate details of which figured in the quiz programme in TV and in the quiz books also.

Now, the security is enhanced around this location.

Monuments

Gateway of India

The Gateway of India is synonymous with Mumbai. It is the most famous monument of Mumbai and is the starting point for most tourists who want to explore the city. Gateway of India is a great historical monument built during the British rule in the country. It was built as a triumphal arch to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Mumbai (then, Bombay). Gateway of India was built at Apollo Bunder, a popular meeting place. It was designed by the British architect, George Wittet.

The foundation stone of the Gateway of India was laid down by the then Governor of Bombay (Mumbai) on March 31st 1913. The archway is 26 meters high and joined with four turrets and intricate latticework carved on stones. The arch alone was built at the cost of 21 lakhs. It is built in Indo-Sarcenic style, though some influence of Gujarati style is also evident in its architecture. The structure itself is quite majestic and a hybrid of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

In the past Gateway of India used to be the arrival point for visitors from the west. Ironically, when the Raj ended in 1947, this colonial symbol also became a sort of epitaph: the last of the British ships that set sail for England left from the Gateway. Today this symbol of colonialism has got Indianised, drawing droves of local tourists and citizens. This landmark of Mumbai is a must visit of the city.

The Gateway faces the vast Arabian Sea, flanked by Mumbai's another attraction, Marine Drive, a road running parallel to the sea. The majestic monument is a must-visit at night, in its pristine glory against the backdrop of the sea. It is visited by millions of people across the world every year and is a very significant figure in the lives of the people of Mumbai, as the Gateway defines the grandeur of the city that is a culmination of both, historic and modern cultural environment.